Chapter 1:

"C'mon, Cato. Four years of mixed martial arts and you still can't throw a punch!" Marvel said, wincing slightly as Cato punched and kicked the punching bag.

"I can punch harder than you can, Marv" Cato laughed at his best friends expression. He sent a few more blows to the bag, smiling as Marvel had trouble holding it in place.

"Get in the ring and we'll see who's stronger, huh?" Marvel said, pushing the bag out if his way only to have it swing back at him and hit him.

"We're in different weight classes" Cato chuckled. Cato was 6'2 and muscular with sandy blond hair and icy-blue. Marvel was also 6'2 but weighed a good 20 pounds less than Cato and wasn't as muscular. Marvel had brown hair and the same color eyes.

"So, Brutus isn't here" Marvel said referring to the almost empty gym. Brutus was their trainer and had been since they were 13. They were two of his few trainees and by far the most dedicated. Marvel got down on his knees and stuck out his bottom lip. "Please, please, please, please" he begged.

"Fine!" Cato sighed and Marvel cheered.

"You guys are really going to spar?" Thresh asked from where he sat on the bench, icing his ankle. He was a friend of the two boys, knowing them since he was 13 and they joined the gym. He went to a different school, but the three boys still felt like they were brothers. After all, Brutus' motto was "When you join the gym, you join the family."

"Hell yeah!" Marvel yelled, sliding threw the ropes and into the ring with Cato following him before they heard the ding of the little bell above the door ding. Cato spun around and his eyes landed on a girl. She looked to be about 16, but she was small for her size. Her wavy, raven colored hair, which was pulled into a high ponytail, along with her freckles stood out against her pale skin. Cato couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful girl in front of him.

Brutus walked out if his air-conditioned office and into the hot gym. "Are you Clove?" He asked and the girl nodded once and Brutus smiled. The three boys exchanged looks. Brutus never smiled and a girl had never even set foot in the gym with the exception of Thresh's little sister, Rue. "Hello I'm Brutus" he said shaking her hand and went on, "Your father told me you're quite the fighter."

"He's not my dad" Clove said coldly.

"Ok" Brutus said and addressed the confused boys. "Guys, this is Clove. She'll be training here so welcome her to the family."

"But Brutus! She's a girl!" Marvel said, his voice high and childish.

"I've noticed Marvel" Brutus said. "What are you two doing in the ring?"

Marvel quickly answered, "Cato wanted to spar. It was all his idea."

"Cato, you know you can't spar without my supervision and you can't spar Marvel" Brutus said and Cato groaned, knowing he was in trouble.

"What's my punishment?" He asked and Brutus looked around. Cato was the strongest member of the gym and would breeze threw any of his usual punishments. His eye landed on Clove, now in only spandex shorts and a sports bra, strapping her gloves on.

"You can spar Clove," he said, surprising everyone in the room.

"Brutus she just got here" Thresh said and Clove scowled. She wasn't the girl who needed protecting, having had to take care of herself and her sister since Frank was always working.

"I'll fight him," she said, stretching her arms and legs quickly. Brutus smirked as she climbed into the ring. From the moment she walked in he saw her potential. What better way to evaluate her than putting her up against his best student?

"Brutus, I don't want to fight her," Cato said as Clove took Marvel's position across from him.

"C'mon, pretty boy, scared you'll get beat by a girl" Clove challenged, her face still emotionless but her steel gray eyes looked different, almost angry.

"Don't break any bones and you'll be fine" Brutus said, taking his place as referee. Cato and Clove took their positions and Brutus started the match. They first just circled each other, their arms up, both waiting for the other to make the first move.

Cato lunged first, sending a punch towards Clove head but she sidestepped quickly out of the way. She got a gab into Cato's stomach but he barely felt it. She went again, sending a punch to his face at the same time as a kick to his side. He blocked the punch and winced as Clove's foot made contact with his ribs. Cato went in for another punch and Clove tried to slide out of the way, but his fist made contact with her arm. She stiffened as he hit her arm and Cato took the opportunity, sending a kick to her head. Clove ducked right before Cato's foot could make contact with her head and swiped his legs from under him. Cato fell to the ground and Clove was on top of him before he could react, sending punches into his stomach and face until Brutus called the match.

Clove stood up, offering Cato her hand and pulling him up once he took it. "Good match" Clove said, her expression the same as the one before the match started, but Cato noticed her eyes weren't angry, just indifferent.

"You too" Cato nodded and followed Clove as she ducked under the ropes.

"Dude, you were beaten by a girl!" Marvel laughed and Thresh smiled.

"Who knew that would be how big, brutal Cato lost a fight" Thresh teased, but Cato ignored both of them. He watched the mysterious girl punch the crap out of a punching bag. Cato only knew her for a few minuets and he already knew he was falling for her and he's not sure if that is a good or a bad thing.